Coupling



H. J. CRINER u ouPLING Filed Jan. 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 `Iflarryiv l Clriirie'r,- DavenportfQ'IowaQ' lassigner of one-'halfjto G. Bush, Davenporlowa." v

Application-January 22, 1941, serial Nt. 375,401

` 3 claims. (crass-a5) l MY invention relates to improvements in meth-`v od and apparatus for securely fastening conduits or pipes to the walls of boxes or receptacles such asV fuseboxes,A meters, turn-boxes, and other equipment Where a conduit has to be securely iixed to the walls of a chamber of any sort. Si.;

The objects of my inventionV are to provide an improved and simplified method and apparatus by which conduits for electric wires' or other things can be firmly and easily attached to fuse- Similar numerals lrefer to vsimilar parts throughout theseveralviews. c.

' My apparatus in' its preferred form, comprises a coupling sleeve I which is tubular in form and has a raised transverse hub I' formed integral y therewith. v. Y The bore of the outer end of the sleeve is preferably .of the right diameter to .fitclosely upon f the end-` of theconduit iihserted therein and the boxes, meters; transformers or other apparatus or movable containers or fixtures, -b-y means which will permit Vready removal thereofwhen desired, but which will provide againstleakage ofjrainwater and against accidental displacement or loosening due to wear, vibration or otheri` 'l unintended cause.

Other objects will appear in the description.l 5

I accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which--V Figure 1 isa plan view of va-po'rtionof the side-i" wall of a box with the conduit'attached'to'it by my apparatus; f

Figure 2 is a longitudinalsectionon the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Y f l Figure 3 is across-section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2; Y y

Figure l is an 4inside elevation of the side of the box with my apparatus secured*I thereon;

Figures 5'and 5A are side and end views,re

spectively, of an alternate form of locking pin;

VFigures 5B and 5C are details'of the locking pin as shown in Figure 3 and show the outer end 9d of the-thread squared oi on a radial line and hardened to adapt it to cut a new thread in the portion of the conduit with which it comes in contact, the maximum thickness of that portion being equal to the height of the threads;

Figure 6 shows in section on the line 6 6 of Figure 7, an alternate form of coupling in which the cutter is arranged on the inside of a'sleeve instead of on the outside of a pin, as in Figure 3;

Figure 7 shows an outer end view of the coupling from the left of Figure 6, and Figure 8 shows an inner end view of the sleeve I and locknut 1;

Figure 9 shows an enlarged detail end View of the outer end of the sleeve I showing the squared oi end 5 of the outermost thread formed to act as a cutter to cut its way into the periphery of the conduit; v y

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail of the conduit 8 and the sleeve I with a bore 5a formed in the outer end of the sleeve I equal in diameter to the outside diameter of the conduit.

inner endy 4 of the-sleeve is reduced in diameter so that a shoulder 6 is formed which will abut against the wall IU ofi a fusebox or other receptacle-to which it is to be attached. The inner end 4 of the sleeve is externally threaded to `mesh .with the internal' threads 5 of the locknut 1. rfhe hub I.'is provided withv alongitudinal bore which extends through it at right angles to the axis of the conduit 8. The bore is internally f threaded to receive a threaded lock-pin 9 which may be a simple continuously externally thread- ...e'dpin as-shown infFigure' 3 with the outer end Sd of the thread out oi on a radial line extend- .,-ing .outwardly from the axis .ofgthe pin 9 as .shown -in' Figure'A, or itA may beprovided with channels 9c similar to,those formed in theordi- Sanary threading tap. Thelopposite end of the pin V9 may be .provided with achannel 9 by which 'it maybe .turned by an-ordinary screw-driver or it may: be provided with ahead of any desired .kind .to be turned byawrench.4

After the vpin 9 isformed, the cutting ,end of the thread or threads is hardened.

' A portion of the sleeve Iv may be provided with an hexagonal-band 2 or Stoaftord an easy grip for a Wrench to assist in screwingfit intothe sidewall lil in case the sidewall is threaded as shown in Figure 2 and this will afford additional means of securing the sleeve I in the sidewall.

In the operation of my apparatus the sleeveI is rst screwed into the sidewall I0 andV the locknut I then placed kupon the inner end 4 of the sleeve I and tightened with a wrench, pliers or other suitable tool. This may be done either before the box is secured in place in the wall or in whatever position it is to done.

After the box is secured in place the conduit 8 has its inner end inserted in the sleeve I. TheY pin 9 is then inserted in the bore in the hub I and screwed into place with a screw-driver or other means. The bore is so located that as the screw is driven home, the cutting end 9d of the 1 thread will contact the outer surface of the conduit 8 and cut external segmental transverse threads therein which will nt snugly upon the occupyor after that is Y .by threading as threads of the pin 9. The pin 9 and its threads will then act to prevent any lateral or rotational vibration of the conduit which might tend to dislodge it and the pin itself will prevent the conduit from slipping out of the sleeve. When desired to dismantle the connection, it is only necessary to unscrew the pin 9 and remove it and the conduit 8 may then be readily pulled out of the sleeve I. v Then the lock-nut 1 may be removed and the sleeve unscrewed from the sidewall I of the box.

It is not necessary for the sidewall I0 tobe threaded, for the hex band 2 will aiord means? by which it can be held against turning while the lock-nut 1 is being screWe'djor'unscrev'redf.Y

The pin 9 is preferably madef sft' steel" or steel alloy susceptible of being hardened land the threads and grooves, if any, therein maybe cut before it is hardened and the pin the" hard'-Vv ened to any desired degree.

The conduit 8 may be ofiron, coppenalu- `.rninum or any otherdesired metal or alloy capable ofr being. cut bythe cutting4 operation ofthe pin 9.

In the alternate form of my apparatus the sleeve I may be secured inthelwall I0 of the box in Figure v 6 or. by a lock-nutV 1 threaded onto the'reduced end Il'l of' the sleeve I `and abutting` against the wall I0,. or by other Ysuitable means..

VApart of. thesleeve I is-bored out at 5a to equal the Aoutside .diameter of` the conduit 8 and the-portion ofv the sleeve adjoining'said bore is internally threaded,..the outermostthread being-squarely cutoff. on aradial linei and hardened to form acutterVV 5 adapted'ato cut a thread inftheperiphery. ofthe conduit.

The threads may be ofV the sizescommon in pipes of thatk diameter, and when *ofA that size,

. the cutters-will readily cut a new thread in the relatively soft conduits.

In applyingthe first form ofr myl apparatus,

Atherpin 9l willy beheld in-positionby .the internal threads in the hub I' while'startingto cut the threads. in the periphery ofthe conduit 8,. and

inthealternateform ofmy apparatus, the bore Saco-acting withthefend of .theconduit 8,.vlill holdthe sleeveV and conduit-inline so as to secure the proper cuttingaction-of the cutter 5' and-but little force will bev required to cut the threads,

If desired, an openingl Scmay. be formed in the sleeve I to permitthe escape ofthe chips as the thread is being cut.

In the form illustrated in Figure 3, the bore extends all the Way through the hub I and any chips formed by the action of the cutter may pass out of the open end of the bore.

One advantage of the alternate form of coupling shown is that the forming of the threads in the conduit as the coupling is put together, will cause them to iit very tightly with the threads in' the sleeveA I- and prevent leakage. Likewise the form of the" hubL I' and the tight t of the pin 9 therein, will tend to prevent any leakage therein.

As various modifications may-be made in the form, proportions and composition of my apparatus; I- do not limit my claims to the precise formsshown inthe drawings.

1, A conduit coupling comprising a sleeve to receive one end of the conduit, a transverse boss or extension for-med integralwith thesleeve, an

internally threaded boi'e extending longitudinallyV of the boss into onside of which the -periphery of the: conduit will project when in'. coupled position, and a combined set-screvv and tap threadable into the bore havingthread-cutting means at theleadingend thereofto'contact the periphery ofthe conduitv and Vcut segmental threads thereinv when the` pin is screwedinto place in the-bore.

3. A thread cutter comprising-am internally `threaded borev witha cut-away `portion on one side of the bore into which one sidel of a pipe to have external segmental threads out on one side thereof can project, a correspondingly threaded setscrew fitting` into said bore and carrying at its point ay cutter adapted,v asthe screvvv is rotated, to cut vsegmental threads into theprojectingside ofthepipe, and; means for holding ,suchA pipeinposition to be partially threade HARRY J. CRINER. 

